Bottling & labelling

Tequila is a protected appellation, and the rules for how it is bottled and labelled are set in Mexico's official standard for tequila, the NOM (Norma Oficial Mexicana). The current version, NOM-006-SCFI-2012, came into force in 2013. Compliance is overseen by the Tequila Regulatory Council, the CRT (Consejo Regulador del Tequila), which inspects production from field to bottle.

The NOM number

Every genuine bottle carries a NOM number. It identifies the distillery that made the tequila, not the brand. One distillery may produce for dozens of brands, and brands that buy their tequila or rent space in someone else's distillery carry that producer's number. Looking up the NOM is the quickest way to find out where a tequila was really made. It confirms the tequila met the standard, but it is no guarantee of quality.

Bulk tequila and the convenio

To buy or sell tequila in bulk, the producer and the bottler (or brand owner) must sign a co-responsibility agreement, the convenio, and file it with the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI), together with the trademark registration and the proposed labels. The convenio grants the right to use the name ‘Tequila’ for that label and binds both parties to the official standard.

Before export, the producer requests a certificate of export from the CRT. It certifies the lot being shipped, is checked by customs on leaving Mexico, and again on arrival. Bottlers should always ask their suppliers for it, since it is the proof that the lot has been inspected. Where Mexico has a trade agreement with the destination country, a certificate of origin is also needed to claim the reduced duties.

Rules for bottlers

Breaking the rules in the convenio can cost a bottler the right to use the appellation. The bottler must be able to prove that the product has not been tampered with from the moment it was received until it is bottled, and must follow these guidelines:

• Never mix tequilas of different types or from different sources.
• Use only one supplier per label or label type (for example, blanco or gold).
• Bottle anything labelled “100% agave” only within the appellation territory in Mexico. Mixto tequila may be shipped in bulk and bottled abroad.
• Never alter the character of the tequila received; the only thing that may be added is water, to bring it to selling strength.
• Bottle only tequila produced under CRT supervision.
• Never resell tequila in bulk.

What the label must show

Whatever the importing country also requires, every label must legibly show:

• The word “Tequila”
• Whether it is 100% agave, and its class
• Net content in litres or millilitres
• Alcohol by volume at 20 °C, which may be shortened to “% Alc. Vol.”
• The name and address of the authorised producer and of the bottler
• The NOM number of the producer
• The registered trademark
• “Hecho en México”, or its translation in the destination market
• The official mark of the standard
• A lot number
• Any other health or commercial information required

A tip from the label itself: if a bottle does not say “100% agave”, it is a mixto. Mixtos are never labelled as such; they are simply called tequila.